Curiosity gets a software update to 560 million kilometers

Curiosity got this weekend its first “patch” for your software, an operation performed remotely over 560 million kilometers to be completed today. A lesson for those upgrading their equipment problems here on Earth.

“We designed the mission from start to upgrade the software as we needed for different phases of the mission,” said Ben Cichy’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA. “The version of flight software that has now Curiosity was really focused on making land the vehicle. That includes many capabilities that no longer need, “he explains.

The update will allow Curiosity move safely on the Martian surface, with the ability to check for obstacles in the path and identify potential risks, plotting a safe path for your journey. The new software will also improve the capabilities of the robotic arm.

NASA called the process a “brain transplant”, which sounds quite as complex, although the organization says this was planned from the beginning of the mission. The operation is necessary because of limitations in the memory of Curiosity, which is about 4 GB available for storage. While there are phones with more memory – which does not have to land on Mars – the small size is that the piece had to pass rigorous tests to withstand radiation in space. In addition, Curiosity was designed and built 8 years ago and at that time was the best that was available.

Not for the first time you do a remote update of this type: Spirit and Opportunity had already received changes to update his 9 years on Mars. While downloading the update, the installation and testing, Curiosity can not do much, but once you finish this process the researchers hope to begin to recognize the Gale crater which is now parked.